James Cameron’s hotly anticipated follow-ups to the 2009 fantasy film have been repeatedly delayed but now Variety revealed the digital company has started work on the visual effects for the upcoming sequel.

Many speculate this could mean much of the live-action and motion-capture shooting has been completed and now Weta will create the digital side of the movies.

Cameron said: “What Joe Letteri and Weta Digital bring to these stories is impossible to quantify. Since we made ‘Avatar’, Weta continued to prove themselves as doing the best CG animation, the most human, the most alive, the most photo-realistic effects in the world.”

Sigourney Weaver – who starred in the 2009 original – recently revealed preparations have already started to make the much-anticipated follow-up movie.

The 67-year-old sci-fi legend shared: “We’re starting! We’re starting training, and we’re starting – hmm, I probably can’t say anything. We will be actually shooting it by the fall.”

The original Avatar movie – which also starred Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana – grossed $2.7 billion at the global box office, and received widespread praise from movie critics.

Meanwhile, Cameron previously claimed he is not worried about the delays to the release of the next Avatar movie.

The director intends to make four sequels in total, but there have been significant delays to his original plans, meaning fans have been kept waiting for years for the next installment in the franchise.

In April, Cameron took to Facebook to announce that “concurrent production on four sequels” has begun and the first movie will be released in 2020, followed by the other three in 20121, 2024 and 2025.

He wrote: “Great to be working with the best team in the business! Avatar takes flight as we begin concurrent production on four sequels. The journey continues December 18, 2020, December 17, 2021, December 20, 2024 and December 19, 2025!”

Emma LogginsEmma Loggins is the Editor in Chief of FanBolt. As an internationally recognized "Geek Girl", Emma updates daily on the latest entertainment news, her opinions on current happenings in the media, screening/filming opportunities, inside scoops and more. She’s been writing on the world of geekdom and pop culture since 2002 and is also considered to be one of the top Atlanta bloggers and influencers!

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Our head Geek Girl, Emma Loggins, updates daily on the latest entertainment news, TV news, movie news, inside scoops, travel guides and more. She’s been writing on the world of geekdom, travel, and pop culture since 2002 when she founded FanBolt!